Tamper evident lock iv needle cap

ABSTRACT

A tamper resistant/evident cap cover for IV needle configurations to provide a single use engageable cap to prevent unauthorized access and use of an IV needle port. The cap cover has a threaded IV needle receiving base and a slidably disposed interengagement locking clasp. Oppositely disposed tamper evident latching tabs are receivably secured into the base by multiple clasp barbs defining a first position for access and a second closed locked position.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/831,668, filed Jun. 6, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to tamper resistant and evident covers formedical equipment, specifically IV needle assemblies used universallythroughout the medical equipment industry.

2. Description of Prior Art

Prior art devices of this type have relied on a variety of differentclosure strategies, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,286,640, 5,513,695,7,678,101 and 8,091,727.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,640 a hinged tamper proof cover can be seenhaving a pair of hemispherical body members hinged together alongadjacent sidewall edges.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,695 illustrates a tamper evident sleeve for IVneedles that have a pair of elongated hinge covers with a hinge which isremovable to access a needle by user engagement pull tab extendingtherefrom.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,678,101 is directed to a locking catheter connector andconnector system.

Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,727 a snap over clam shell protectiveport cap is claimed having two halves hinged together with a punctureresistant lid portion so as to cover when applied onto the end of aninjection port.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tamper resistant and evident IV needle cover for receiving andsecuring the access portion of an IV needle configuration to preventunauthorized IV needle use without direct evidence of such use. Anintegrated two part cover assembly has a needle threaded receiving andstabilization base with a trans-axially aligned and engageable closureclasp with dual spaced opposing registerable locking tabs defining afirst needle insert open position and a second needle engagement claspclosed locking position therebetween.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an enlarged side elevational view of the IV needle cover inopen position.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof with portions broken away.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the IV cover in open position with an IVneedle engaged therein.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the IV needle cover with an IV needlepositioned therewithin in closed position.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the needle cover in closedposition.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view on lines 9-9 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view on lines 10-10 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, an IV needle cap cover 10 of theinvention can be seen having a two-part molded housing 11 selectivelyengaged and secured together for an IV needle 12 preventing unauthorizeduser access thereto as will be described in detail hereinafter.

The housing 11 has a needle receiving portion 13 and a slidably engagedneedle retainment and cap clasp portion 14. The needle receiving portion13 has a cylindrical body having a top surface 15 and a bottom surface16 with an interiorly threaded annular bore 17 extending partiallyinwardly from its top surface 15 about a central upstanding needleengagement lug 18. A pair of oppositely disposed ear tabs 19A and 19Bare formed in the sidewall S of the needle receiving portion 13 definedby longitudinal slots 20A and 20B therein. The needle receiving portion13 has an area of reduced annular dimension at 13A which extends fromand between the respectively defined slots 20A and 20B, best seen incut-away view and broken lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The ear tabs 19A and 19B have ribbed outer surfaces 22A and 22B andrespective interior clasp retainment registration longitudinallyextending edges 23A and 23B therewithin as will be described in greaterdetail hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 5 and 7 of the drawings a channel 24 can beseen formed centrally across the bottom surface 16 of the cylindricalbody into which a corresponding elongated registration and guide tab 25formed on the cap clasp portion 14 can be seen having an annular base 26with an upstanding arcuate wall 27 extending therefrom to a half arcuateupper surface portion 28 extending at right angles therefrom so as tooverlie the hereinbefore described ear tab defining slots 20A and 20B asindicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings in open position and in FIG. 6 ofthe drawings in closed IV needle retainment position.

A pair of clasp engagement arms 29 extend from respective free edges 30of the hereinbefore described upstanding arcuate wall 27 with spacedparallel longitudinally extending barbs 31A and 31B thereon. It will beseen that the barbs 31A and 31B selectively engage the correspondingretainment registration edges 23A and 23B providing two registrationpositions of the cap clasp portion 14 from an unlock access needleposition as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings to a closed barb31A position illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

In use, the IV needle assembly 12 having a needle support and accessportion 32 is threadably inserted into the threaded bore 17 over theupstanding and extending needle engagement lug 18 as best seen in FIGS.3 and 10 of the drawings effectively blocking access to the needlefitting access portion 32. The cap clasp portion 14 is then slidablymoved from a first open receiving position generally indicated at 33 inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings to a second tamper evident closed andlocked position indicated at 34 as seen in FIGS. 4 and 9 of thedrawings.

Accordingly, the respective barbs 31B lock and secure the cap claspportion 14 preventing removal of the IV needle assembly 31.

To open, the ribbed ear tabs 19A and 19B are clasp by the user (notshown) and compressed towards one another breaking the frangible claspengagement arms 29 releasing the cap clasp portion 14 from its closed,locked and secure position allowing it to be moved back to its firstaccess position allowing the IV needle assembly 31 to be removed andaccessed.

It will be evident that the frangible clasp engagement arms 29 assurevisual indication of tampering and restrict unauthorized access by theirinitial locking action and can only be accessed after they aredeliberately broken which requires a specific action by grasping therespective tab's outer respective ribbed surfaces 22A and 22B andcompress same inwardly.

It will thus be seen that a new and novel tamper evident and resistantIV needle cap lock has been illustrated and described and it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. Therefore I claim:

1. A tamper resistant and evident cap cover for engagement with an IVneedle comprises, a threaded IV needle receiving portion and aretainment cap clasp portion slidably connected together by An elongatedguide tab with a channel in said needle receiving portion, a tamperevident and access indicator including, a pair of oppositely disposedear tabs extending from said needle receiving portion and a pair offrangible clasp engagement arms extending from said clasp portion inselective registration with said ear tabs, said cap clasp portionmovable from a first needle access position to a second needleretainment and engagement locked position.
 2. The assembly set forth inclaim 1 wherein said IV needle receiving portion further comprises, anannular needle receiving opening and a central needle engagement lugtherewithin
 3. The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said ear tabshave textured outer gripping surfaces and an interior clasp retainmentedge extending transversely thereon.
 4. The assembly set forth in claim1 wherein said frangible clasp engagement arms have spaced parallelelongated barbs extending there across for select registration with saidrespective ear tabs.
 5. The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein saidcap clasp portion further comprises, an upper surface portion overlyinga needle access portion of said IV needle receiving portion.
 6. Theassembly set forth in claim 1 wherein cap clasp portion has an annularbase with an upstanding arcuate sidewall and said elongated guide tabextending therefrom.
 7. The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein saidear tabs are flexible for displaced disposition with said respectablefrangible clasp arms.